Three separate individuals in different parts of Italy, and
completely unknown to each other, began receiving details of the life of St.
Philomena through various modes of private revelation. The most well-known of
these were locutions received by Mother Luisa di Gesu in August, 1833. These
locutions were granted the official Imprimatur by the Holy Office that same
year, December 21, 1833.

Mother Luisa had been praying before a
statue of St. Philomena when she thought she heard a voice tell her the specific
date of death (August 10) of Philomena and specific details of her journey from
Rome to Mugnano, details as yet unknown to the public. Mother Luisa, fearing she
was experiencing an illusion, increased her prayer and fasting. Under obedience
to her Superior in whom she had confided, she observed complete silence during
the revelations. Mother Luisa's Superior then wrote to Fr. Di Lucia, reporting
the revelations and asking him to confirm the veracity of the specific details
reportedly revealed by St. Philomena. Fr. Di Lucia confirmed every detail and
requested that the nun be open to any additional revelations pertaining to the
life of St. Philomena. Again under obedience, Mother Luisa prayed to St.
Philomena for further information and immediately the same voice began revealing
the historical

facts of the life of the 4th century
martyr.

The following is the account
of the life of St. Philomena as taken from the official account of Fr. Di
Lucia's Relazione Istorici di Santa Filomena and subsequent
annals.

My dear sister, I am the daughter of a
Prince who governed a small state in Greece. My mother was also of royal blood.
My parents were without children. They were idolaters. They continually offered
sacrifices and prayers to their false gods. A doctor from Rome, named Publius,
lived in the palace in the service of m father. This doctor professed
Christianity. Seeing the affliction of my parents, by the impulse of the Holy
Spirit, he spoke to them of Christianity and promised to pray for them if they
consented to receive Baptism. The grace which accompanied his words enlightened
their understanding and triumphed over their will. They became Christians and
obtained the long desired happiness that Publius had assured them as the reward
of their conversion. At the moment of my birth, they gave me the name of Lumina,
an allusion to the light of Faith of which I had been, as it were, the fruit.
The day of my Baptism they called me Philomena. Daughter of Light, because on
that day I was born to the Faith. The affection which my parents bore me was so
great that they would have me always with them.

It was on this account that they took me to
Rome on a journey that my father was obliged to make on the occasion of an
unjust war with which he was threatened by the haughty Diocletian. I was then
thirteen years old. On our arrival in the capital of the world, we proceeded to
the palace of the Emperor and were admitted for an audience. As soon as
Diocletian saw me, his eyes were fixed upon me. He appeared to be prepossessed
in this manner during the entire time that my father was stating with animated
feelings everything that could serve for his defense. As soon as Father had
ceased to speak, the Emperor desired him to be disturbed no longer, to banish
all rear, to think only of living in happiness. These are the Emperors words, I
shall place at your disposal all the force of the Empire. I ask only one thing,
that is the hand of your daughter.

My father dazzled with an honor he was far
from expecting, willingly acceded on the spot to the proposal of the Emperor.
When we returned to our own dwelling, Father and Mother did all they could to
induce me to yield to Diocletians wishes and to theirs. I cried. Do you wish
that for the love of a man I should break the promise I have made to Jesus
Christ? My virginity belongs to Him. I can no longer dispose of
it.

But you were young then, too young, answered
my father, to have formed such an engagement. He joined the most terrible
threats to the command that he gave me to accept the hand of Diocletian. The
grace of my God rendered me invincible. My father, not being able to make the
Emperor relent, in order to disengage himself from the promise he had given, was
obliged by Diocletian to bring me to the Imperial Chamber. I had to withstand
for sometime beforehand a new attack from my fathers anger. My mother, uniting
her efforts to his, endeavored to conquer my resolution. Caresses, threats,
everything was employed to reduce me to compliance. At last I saw both of my
parents fall at my knees and say to me with tears in their eyes, My child, have
pity on your father, your mother, your country, our country, our
subjects.

No, no! I answered. My
virginity, which I have vowed to God, comes before everything, before you,
before my country. My kingdom is Heaven.

My words plunged them into despair and they
brought me before the Emperor who, on his part, did all in his power to win me.
But his promises, his allurements, his threats, were equally useless. He then
got into a violent fit of anger and, influenced by the devil, had me cast into
one of the prisons of the palace, where I was loaded with chains. Thinking that
pain and shame would weaken the courage with which my Divine Spouse inspired me,
he came to see me every day. After several days, the Emperor issued an order for
my chains to be loosed that I might take a small portion and bread and water. He
renewed his attacks, some of which, if not for the grace of God, would have been
fatal to purity. The defeats which he always experienced were for me to preludes
to new tortures. Prayer supported me. I ceased not to recommend myself to Jesus
and His most pure Mother.

My captivity lasted thirty-seven days. Then,
in the midst of a heavenly light I saw Mary holding her Divine Son in her arms.
My daughter. She said to me, three days more of prison and after forty days you
shall leave this state of pain.

Such happy news renewed my courage to
prepare for the frightful combat awaiting. The Queen of Heaven reminded me of
the name I had received in Baptism saying, You are Lumina, as your Spouse is
called Light or Sun. Fear not, I will aid you. Now, nature, whose weakness
asserts itself, is humbling you. In the moment of struggle, grace will come to
you to lend its force. The angel who is mine also, Gabriel, whose name expresses
force, will come to your succor. I will recommend you especially to his
care.

The vision disappeared leaving m prison
scented with a fragrance like incense. I experienced a joy out of his world.
Something indefinable. What the Queen of Angels had prepared for me was soon
experienced. Diocletian, despairing of bending me, decided upon public
chastisement to offend my virtue. He condemned me to be stripped and scourged
like the Spouse I preferred to him. These were his horrifying words, Since she
is not ashamed to prefer to an Emperor like me, as malefactor condemned to an
infamous death by his own people, she deserves that my justice shall treat her
as he was treated.

The prison guards hesitated to unclothe me
entirely, but they did tie me to a column in the presence of the great men of
the court. They lashed me with violence until I was bathed in blood. My whole
body felt like one open wound but I did not faint. The tyrant had me dragged
back to the dungeon expecting me to die. I hoped to join my heavenly Spouse. Two
angels shining with light appeared to me in the darkness. They poured a soothing
balm on my wounds, bestowing on me a vigor I did not have before the torture.
When the Emperor was informed of the change that had come over me, he had me
brought before him. He viewed me with a greedy desire and tried to persuade me
that I owed my healing and regained vigor to Jupiter, another god, that he, the
Emperor, had sent to me. He attempted to impress me with his belief that Jupiter
desired me to be Empress of Rome. Joining to these seductive words promises of
great honor, including the most flattering words. Diocletian tried to caress me.
Fiendishly, he attempted to complete the work of Hell which he had begun. The
Divine Spirit to whom I am indebted for constancy in preserving my purity seemed
to fill me with light and knowledge. To all the proofs which I gave of the
solidity of our Faith, neither Diocletian nor his own courtiers could find an
answer.

Then the frenzied Emperor dashed at me,
commanding a guard to chain an anchor around my neck and bury me deep in the
waters of the Tiber. The order was executed. I was cast into the water, but God
sent to me two angels who unfastened the anchor. It fell into the river mud
where it remains, no doubt, to the present time. The angels transported me
gently in full view of the multitude upon the riverbank. I came back unharmed,
not even wet, after being plunged with the heavy anchor. When a cry of joy rose
from the watchers on the shore, and so many embraced Christianity by proclaiming
their belief in my God, Diocletian attributed my preservation to secret
magic.

Then the Emperor had me dragged through the
streets of Rome and shot with a shower of arrows. My blood flowed but I did not
faint. Diocletian thought that I was dying and commanded the guards to carry me
back to the dungeon. Heaven honored me with a new favor there. I fell into a
sweet sleep. A second time the tyrant attempted to have me pierced with sharper
darts. Again the archers bent their bows. The gathered all their strength but
the arrows refused to second their intentions. The Emperor was present. In a
rage, he called me a magician and, thinking that the action of the fire could
destroy the enchantment, he ordered the darts to be made red in a furnace and
directed against my heart. He was obeyed. But these darts, after having gone
over a part of the space which they were to cross to come to me, took a quite
contrary direction and returned to strike those by whom they had been hurled.
Six of the archers were killed by them. Several among the renounced paganism.
The people began to render public testimony to the power of God that protected
me.

These murmurs and the acclamations
infuriated the tyrant. He determined to hasten my death by piercing my neck with
a lance. My soul took flight towards my heavenly Spouse who placed me with the
crown of virginity and the palm of martyrdom in a distinguished place among the
elect. The day that was so happy for me and saw me enter into glory was Friday,
the third hour after midday, the same hour that saw my Divine Master
expire.

What is noteworthy from a historical
perspective is not only that this revelation was confirmed by two other
individuals unknown to each other (one a priest, the other an historian), but
these other confirmatory historical facts: 1) Diocletian was known for executing
Christians by the use of arrows, an exemplified by St. Sebastian; 2) Diocletian
was also known for killing Christians by tying anchors around their necks and
throwing them into the water; 3) The reference to Lumena -- the name given to
her at birth, Light -- and then at Baptism, Fi Lumena, Daughter of Light, may
explain the arrangement of the tiles found at the grave (Lumena, her first given
name, was on the first tile).

NOVENA PRAYER
TOSAINT PHILOMENA

We beseech Thee, O Lord, to grant us the
pardon of our sins by the intercession of Saint , virgin and martyr, who was
always pleasing in Thy sight by her eminent chastity and by the profession of
every virtue. Amen.

Illustrious virgin and martyr, Saint
Philomena, behold me prostrate before the throne whereupon it has pleased the
Most Holy Trinity to place thee. Full of confidence in thy protection, I entreat
thee to intercede for me with God, from the heights of Heaven deign to cast a
glance upon thy humble client! Spouse of Christ, sustain me in suffering,
fortify me in temptation, protect me in the dangers surrounding me, obtain for
me the graces necessary to me, and in particular (Here
specify your petition).

O God, Most Holy Trinity, we thank Thee for
the graces Thou didst bestow upon the Blessed Virgin Mary, and upon Thy handmaid
Philomena, through whose intercession we implore Thy Mercy.
Amen.

ST. PHILOMENA
CHAPLET

This chaplet consists of 3 white beads and
13 red beads. On the medal say the Apostles Creed to ask for the grace of
faith.

On each of the white beads say an Our Father
in honor of the 3 Divine Persons of the Blessed Trinity in thanksgiving for all
favors obtained through her intercession.

On each of the red beads, which are 13 in
number to represent the 13 years that St. Philomena spent on earth, say the
following prayer:

Hail, O holy St. Philomena, whom I
acknowledge, after Mary, as my advocate with the Divine Spouse, intercede for me
now and at the hour of my death. St, Philomena, beloved daughter of Jesus
and Mary, pray for us who have recourse to thee. Amen.

Concluding Prayer: Hail, O illustrious
St. Philomena, who shed so courageously your blood for Christ! I bless the Lord
for all the graces He has bestowed upon thee during thy life, and especially at
thy death. I praise and glorify Him for the honor and power with which He has
crowned thee, and I beg thee to obtain for me from God the graces I ask through
thy intercession. Amen.

Litany of St. Philomena
(Composed by St. John Vianney)

Lord have mercy on us. Christ have mercy
on us. Lord have mercy on us. God the Father of Heaven, have mercy on
us. God the Son, Redeemer of the world, have mercy on us. God the Holy
Ghost, have mercy on us. Holy Trinity one God, have mercy on us.
Response after each phrase - Pray for Us Holy Mary, Queen of Virgins,
St. Philomena, St. Philomena, filled with the most abundant graces from
your very birth, St. Philomena, faithful imitator of Mary, St.
Philomena, model of Virgins, St. Philomena, temple of the most perfect
humility, St. Philomena, inflamed with zeal for the Glory of God, St.
Philomena, victim of the love of Jesus, St. Philomena, example of strength
and perseverance, St. Philomena, invincible champion of chastity, St.
Philomena, mirror of the most heroic virtues, St. Philomena, firm and
intrepid in the face of torments, St. Philomena, scourged like your Divine
Spouse, St. Philomena, pierced by a shower of arrows, St. Philomena,
consoled by the Mother of God, when in chains, St. Philomena, cured
miraculously in prison, St. Philomena, comforted by angels in your torments,
St. Philomena, who preferred torments and death to the splendours of a
throne, St. Philomena, who converted the witnesses of your martyrdom,
St. Philomena, who wore out the fury of your executioners, St.
Philomena, protectress of the innocent, St. Philomena, patron of youth,
St. Philomena, refuge of the unfortunate, St. Philomena, health of the
sick and the weak. St. Philomena, new light of the church militant, St.
Philomena, who confounds the impiety of the world, St. Philomena, who
stimulates the faith and courage of the faithful, St. Philomena, whose name
is glorified in Heaven and feared in Hell, St. Philomena, made illustrious
by the most striking miracles, St. Philomena, all powerful with God, St
Philomena, who reigns in Glory. Lamb of God, Who takes away the sins of the
world, spare us O Lord. Lamb of God, Who takest away the sins of the world,
graciously hear us, O Lord. Lamb of God Who takest away the sins of the
world, have mercy on us.

V.) Pray for us, Great St. Philomena,
R.) That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

Let us pray: We implore Thee, O Lord, by the
intercession of Saint Philomena, Virgin and Martyr, who was ever most pleasing
to Thy eyes by reason of her eminent purity and the practice of all the virtues,
pardon us our sins and grant us all the graces we need (and
name any special grace you may require). Amen.

Prayer to St.
Philomena

Humbly kneeling before thy throne, O great
and glorious Virgin, St. Philomena, I beseech thee to look favorably on the
petitions I present to thee. My Patroness, St. Philomena, pray for
me! Glory be

Overwhelmed with sorrow and distress, I have
need of thee, great Saint. Heed my supplications and help me in my present
tribulation. O glorious Saint, pray for me and help me!
Glory be

Inconsolable in my
grief and weighed down with so many trials, I turn trustingly to thee. O
valiant Saint, beseech God to have compassion on me. My powerful advocate, pray
for me and help me! Glory be

Courageous Martyr, well do I know that my
grievous sins deserve Gods severe punishment. Good St. Philomena, beseech
God to pardon me all my sins and to teach me the ways of His holy love.
Illustrious Saint, beloved child of Jesus and Mary, pray for me and help
me! Glory be

Gracious Saint,
look graciously upon this house and bless the members of
our family who devoutly honor thee. Wipe away our tears and smile benignly upon
us, imparting the blessings of peace, hope, love, and good health to all of us.
O Wonder-working Saint, pray for us and help us! Glory be

O Child of Wisdom, well thou knowest the graces of
which I stand in need, so be with me at every moment of my life, but be with me
especially at the hour of my death. Establish my soul in peace, protect me from
danger, and permit me to enjoy thy sweet companionship here as well as in
eternity. Amen.

All-powerful Saint, hear and help me!

Through the merits of thy cruel martyrdom,
Saint Philomena, hear and help me. (3 times)

Pauline-Marie
JaricotFoundress of the Society of the Propagation of the Faith and the
Association of the Living Rosary, born at Lyons, 22 July, 1799; died there, 9
January, 1862.At the age of seventeen she began to lead a life of
unusual abnegation and self-sacrifice, and on Christmas Day, 1816, took a vow of
perpetual virginity. In order to repair the sins of neglect and ingratitude
committed against the Sacred Heart of Jesus, she established a union of prayer
among pious servant girls, the members of which were known as the "Reparatrices
du Sacre-Coeur de Jesus-Christ". During an extended visit to her married sister
at Saint-Vallier (Dreme), she succeeded in effecting a complete transformation
in the licentious lives of the numerous girls employed by her brother-in-law. It
was among them and the "Reparatrices" that she first solicited offerings for the
foreign missions. Her systematic organization of such collections dates back to
1819 when she asked each of her intimate friends to act as a promoter by finding
ten associates willing to contribute one cent of a week to the propagation of
the Faith. One out of every ten promoters gathered the collections of their
fellow-promoters ; through a logical extention of this system, all the offerings
were ultimately remitted to one central treasurer. The Society for the
Propagation of Faith at its official foundation (3 May, 1822) adopted this
method, and easily triumphed over the opposition which had sought from the very
start to thwart the realization of Pauline Jaricot's plans. In 1826 she founded
the Association of the Living Rosary. The fifteen decades of the Rosary were
divided among fifteen associates, each of whom had to recite daily only one
determined decade. A second object of the new foundation was the spread of good
books and articles of piety. An undertaking of Pauline's in the interest of
social reform, though begun with prudence, involved her in considerable
financial difficulties and ended in failure. The cause of her beatification and
canonization has been introduced at Rome.

The Living Rosary
Association

The Living Rosary is not a new devotion, but
a continuation of the Rosary preached by St. Dominic and announced by Our Lady
for centuries. This international prayer association consists in dividing the
traditional 15 Rosary Mysteries among a circle of 15 'associates', each of whom
pledges to pray one decade for a specific Mystery, every day for life. (Missing
a day does not constitute a sin, but should not occur through wilful neglect.)
In this way, each circle of 15 associates prays an entire
Rosary every day, forming a perpetual 'living Rosary'! Better still - and like
members of the Confraternity of the Holy Rosary - each Living Rosary associate
receives the benefits, graces & strength of praying an entire Rosary, every
day!

As for today's Living Rosary
Association (which remains faithful to the original), it came into being on
December 8, 1986, the Feast of the Immaculate Conception of Mary (the same date,
back in 1826, that Venerable Pauline Jaricot is believed to have founded the
original Living Rosary Association in France). A couple from Dickinson Texas,
Richard and Patti Melvin, undertook the revival of the Living Rosary in honour
of its patroness and protector, Saint Philomena. With minimal information, 30
people began praying daily decades for the intentions of: The Liing
Rosary.

The Triumph of the Immaculate
Heart of Maryand the honour of Saint Philomena

Early on, news of the Melvins' work reached
the director of the principal shrine of St. Philomena in Mugnano, Italy, Fr.
Giovanni Braschi, who visited Texas in 1987. Among the items Fr. Braschi brought
for the Melvins, was the 'Little Manual of the Living Rosary Association', which
contained its original directives, guidelines and indulgences. This allowed the
revived Living Rosary to be organized and to continue to operate exactly as the
original Association had done.

By 1991, Living Rosary membership reached
60,000, which tripled to 180,000 by 1994! And today, millions of people
worldwide belong to the Universal Association of the Living Rosary. Of these,
3/4 are outside of the United States, and in third world countries. Members of
today's Living Rosary include Catholic bishops, priests and religious, and
everyday people. Each is asked to consider a small monthly donation or, in place
of this, a fervent prayer for the Associations material needs. All moneys
received are used to mail sacramentals to Catholic foreign missions, spread the
Living Rosary devotion, maintain its Center, and distribute to members the
Associations quarterly newsletter, 'Dedicated Decades', published in six
languages.

Founder of the 'Living
Rosary', Pauline Marie Jaricot (1799-1862)

Pauline's Youth and Conversion Venerable
Pauline Jaricot was born only ten yearsafter the end of the French
Revolution, the youngest of seven children. The father of thisaffluent and
devoutly Catholic family was aleading silk merchant in the city of Lyons,
France.

As a teenager, the very popular Pauline served as a
lady-in-waiting to the Duchess of Angoulerne,became engaged at a young age
and delighted in society life. However, at age 15, she suffered afall that
left her partially paralyzed and in a great deal of pain for the better part of
a year. Paulinebroke off her engagement while under the care of her mother,
whose own health weakened, resulting in her death soon after.

After a long convalescence, a fully
recovered Pauline re-entered the social scene, but would often feel a puzzling
sadness after attending social functions. Then one day, after listening to a
Lenten Mass homily on the subject of vanity as reflected in the clothing and
behaviour of her peers, Pauline underwent a deep conversion. The priest answered
her inquiry about vanity, explaining it as "the love of attention and those
things which hold the heart captive when God is asking a person to rise to
higher things". Consequently and with great difficulty, Pauline traded her fine
wardrobe for a simple, modest dress in purple, a colour which she disliked. She
gave away her fancy clothing, sold her jewellery and other valuables, and gave
the money to the needy. In her own words, "I took such extreme measures because,
if I had not broken off all at once, I would not have done it at all. For the
first several months, every time I met one of my girl friends dressed in the
latest fashion I suffered bitterly...I suffered terribly during my first few
months of conversion".

Pauline also began to minister to the sick
and poor, often at Lyons' 'Hospital for Incurables'. At age 17, she took a
perpetual vow of virginity and at 18, she wrote a treatise on the Infinite Love
of the Divine Eucharist.

During a long visit with her brother and his
family in Saint-Vallier (Drome) where they ran a silk factory, Pauline helped
wayward girls of her own age, finding work for them at the factory and giving
them Christian encouragement. Pauline inspired and organized these girls into an
association called the 'Penitents' or 'Reparatrices' (meaning Women of
Reparation to the Sacred Heart of Jesus). The approximately 200 members met
regularly, helped the poor and sick and followed a simple rule of
life.

Pauline Founds the
Society for the Propagation of the FaithAt around this same time,
Pauline joined the French Foreign Mission Society, which in 1818 instituted a
collection system for lay people to support Catholic foreign missions. At age
20, Pauline received a letter from her brother Phileas, who was studying for the
priesthood, in which he described the extreme poverty of the French foreign
missionaries in Asia. This only added to her great desire to share Christ's love
with as many people as possible.

Thus, Pauline conceived and set up her own
extensive network of individuals (including the young ladies working at her
brother's factory), who contributed both prayers and money to the missions. She
began by soliciting help from her many friends and acquaintances, each of whom
would contribute one 'sou' (about a penny) per week. Interested members were
each tasked with finding 9 others, and membership grew by 'circles of ten'; a
designated 'collector' from each circle would remit its weekly offerings to a
central director and general committee.

Pauline's fundraising method proved as
lucrative as it was simple! While some Church leaders initially criticized
Pauline for 'meddling in Church business', others envied her success.
Nonetheless, the International Society for the Propagation of the Faith adopted
her fundraising method at its official foundation on May 3, 1822. Soon after,
Pauline consented to unite her 'propagation's collections with theirs, thereby
expanding mission support from China to Louisiana, and soon worldwide. And to
appease her critics, Pauline relinquished the Propagation's leadership to a
board of directors made up of prominent French Catholic laymen. Of her role as
Propagation Founder, Pauline modestly characterized herself simply as "the match
that lights the fire". (See the Note, at the bottom of this page for more on
today's Society for the Propogation of the Faith.)

Pauline Founds the
Living Rosary AssociationDuring the same year of 1822, Pauline fell
seriously ill with a heart condition, infected lung and a congested liver, but
in time recovered satisfactorily. Following a three-year period of retreat
advised by her spiritual director, she was inspired to enlist Catholics in
several parishes to form a 'Living Rosary'. In 1826, Pauline inaugurated this
prayer association, likely on December 8, which is the Feast of the Immaculate
Conception (that is, of Mary's immaculate conception in her mother Anne's womb).
The Living Rosary consisted in dividing the traditional 15 Rosary Mysteries
among a circle of 15 'associates', each of whom pledged to pray one decade for a
specific Mystery, every day for life. In this way, each circle of 15 associates
would pray an entire Rosary every day, forming a 'living
Rosary'!

Pauline's genius lay in combining this
simple yet most powerful and highly indulgenced prayer, the Holy Rosary of the
Blessed Virgin Mary, with the real, natural power of association. She created
the Living Rosary Association for the purpose of converting souls and
strengthening the Church in France, which had been attacked & undermined
during the French Revolution. A second purpose, in the form of the 'Good Book
Society', was to aid in conversions through the distribution of good Catholic
literature.

In its first year and a half, the Living
Rosary grew to over one million members, who prayed their daily decades and each
contributed up to a dollar per year. Unfortunately, Pauline again endured public
criticism and rumours, this time that she was using collected money for her
personal gain (despite the fact that her father financed many of her charitable
endeavours). In an effort to validate her Association of the Living Rosary, as
well as her reputation, Pauline asked for Pope Gregory XVI's intervention. The
Pope responded by issuing her a certificate authorizing the Living Rosary and
the Good Book Society, but this was intercepted by certain French clergymen
hostile to Pauline, and she received it only years
later.Nonetheless
Pauline persevered and in 1832 bought a house in Fourviere, which she called
'Lorette' in honour of the Holy House of Loreto in Italy. At Lorette, she
founded the 'Daughters of Mary', a community of young ladies who worked with her
in helping the poor. A very good friend and advisor of Pauline was the renowned
Fr. St. Jean Vianney - also known as the 'Cure of Ars'. He would often visit
Lorette, during his long walks from Ars to Lyons to acquire money and clothing
for his orphanage. Lorette also became the Living Rosary's headquarters, from
where Pauline shipped a daily average of around 1,000 religious items, including
Catholic literature, to apostolic missions. By the end of Pauline's earthly
life, membership in the Living Rosary had grown to over 2.25 million in France
alone!

How the Living Rosary
Acquired St. Philomena as its PatronessDuring her middle years,
Pauline developed serious health problems, including advanced heart disease
which would cause violent palpitations of her enlarged heart. Though acutely ill
on several occasions, Pauline's health would improve most notably after praying
to Philomena, a Third century martyr whose relics had been discovered in the
Roman catacombs in 1802 and to whom, in the intervening time, many miracles had
been attributed. In fact the Cure of Ars, St. Jean Vianney, shared and promoted
his own deep devotion to Philomena; he even appealed to her and was apparently
cured from a life-threatening illness in 1853! In his exceeding humility, Fr.
St. Vianney attributed to Philomena the miracles he himself
performed.

In March 1835, a gravely ill Pauline and
her companions undertook a dangerous trip to Rome, to meet with Pope Gregory XVI
concerning authorization of the Living Rosary. After this, she hoped to travel
on to Mugnano Italy where the relics of St. Philomena were enshrined, in order
to pray for her health. When the Pope heard of Paulines heroic journey and grave
illness, he traveled out to meet her where her fragile health had forced her to
stop. His Holiness thanked Pauline for her contributions to the Church,
graciously blessed her, and asked her to pray for him when she reached Heaven.
She agreed, but also informed him of her plan to visit Philomena's shrine. 'Holy
Father', she asked, 'if I come back well from my visit to Mugnano, and go on
foot to the Vatican, will your holiness deign to proceed without delay with the
final inquiry into the Cause of... Philomena?' (to officially declare this
martyr a saint), to which the Pope replied 'Yes, yes, my daughter, for that
would be a miracle of the first class'!

Once Pauline had regained some strength, her
party continued on to Mugnano, arriving there on the eve of Philomena's feast -
that is, the feast of the translation (transfer) of her relics from Rome to
Mugnano - which is traditionally celebrated on the second Sunday of August. Word
of Pauline Jaricots arrival stirred considerable excitement among the thousands
gathered at Philomena's shrine.

The next morning, Pauline received Holy
Communion then rested near the saints enshrined relics, when excruciating pains
and violent heart palpitations caused her to faint. Her companions, fearing she
was near death, attempted to carry her out, however she regained consciousness
and signalled to them to allow her to remain there. Suddenly, colour returned to
her body, tears filled her eyes, and joy her soul: Saint Philomena's
intercession had healed Pauline - who was to live for another 27 years! Pauline
remained silent about her cure, in order to avoid inflaming the crowds of people
outside, but a convent superior guessed what had happened and ordered the church
bells to be rung in announcement of the miracle. Frantic with joy, the people
chanted 'Long live Saint Philomena! Long live our dear saint! Long live the good
French lady!' And, during Paulines return trip to Rome, large crowds gathered at
every stop and shouted 'A miracle! A miracle!'

Pope Gregory XVI, astonished by Pauline's
miraculous cure, granted her request to build a chapel in honour of Philomena.

Pauline's Final Years of
TrialSadly, Pauline passed the last fifteen years of her life in
poverty and humiliation, due to a failed business venture. After years of
prudent consideration, and the approval of the Cure of Ars, Pauline had
proceeded with her vision of founding a model Christian factory community. Once
again, she'd succeeded in raising a great deal of money, this time from wealthy
businessmen. With it, she bought a property called 'Rustrel' and saved for
construction.

However the project turned to disaster, when
her two financial advisors whom she had hired as a safeguard against public
criticism embezzled most of the capital! Refusing to declare bankruptcy, Pauline
was reduced to begging alms in order to repay the Rustrel benefactors. Only a
few wealthy families donated funds to her plight, including John Henry Newman of
England and Frederick Wilhelm of Prussia. And, despite papal intervention, the
leaders of the Society for the Propagation of the Faith declined any help for
what they saw to have been a commercial enterprise. They also pointed out that
Pauline had never before claimed to be the Propagations founder.

Pauline and her family finally settled this
enormous debt, after her sale of the Rustrel property, and the sale of Lorette
following her death.

Pauline Jaricot's Cause
for Sainthood IntroducedAfter Pauline's death, administration of the
Living Rosary passed to the Dominican Order of Preachers, who already (and have
since) managed the Confraternity of the Holy Rosary. Unfortunately, they paid
less attention to the Living Rosary Association which, although accorded all the
same indulgences as the Confraternity - and more! - came to be viewed as a mere
stepping stone to the Confraternity. Over time, contacts were lost, and
membership in the Living Rosary dwindled.

However Pauline Jaricot and the Living
Rosary were not forgotten. In 1962, 100 years after her death, Pope John XXIII
signed the decree that proclaimed the virtues of Pauline Jaricot, and declared
her as 'venerable'. Pope John wrote: "It was she who thought of the society"
(for the Propagation of the Faith - see Note that follows for more information),
"who conceived it, and made it an organized reality".

Note: The Society for the
Propagation of Faith exists to this day, and is one of the Vatican's four
Pontifical Mission Societies. Its purpose is to assist Catholic missionary
priests, nuns & religious to spread the Gospel worldwide, by means of prayer
and alms (donated money or goods).

The Society, which supports missions only
until they become self-sufficient, is centrally administered in Lyons and Paris,
France, by two councils of twelve clergymen each, as well as lay businessmen.
Catholic missions around the world are at the ongoing mercy of Society members,
whose contributions are conscientiously distributed worldwide every
January.

From the Director:

This is
my personal experience with Saint Philomena. Many years ago I was a contractor
in Southern Arizona. Most of my travel I did in a sub compact car to reduce
expenses. I had been aware of Saint Philomena for only a short time but was a
devotee. One evening after I had retired I had a very vivid dream actually a
vision. A young girl came to me I would say about Fourteen Years old or so very
pretty, and she showed me a twisted mess of wreckage and my car clearly visible
in it. She warned me to be very watchful on my way to work the next
day.

The next morning I left my house at the usual time and proceeded
very watchful. I started into an intersection of another main highwayand
just then I saw it; a tractor trailer rig traveling quite fast went through a
yield sign and had I not been warned it would have collided with me. The rig was
the same as I saw in the vision. Some time later I acquired a painting of Saint
Philomena and the girl was her.

There are many more I could tell you but
most you would not believe I suppose that is true for many if not all of her
devotees it certainly was true for Saint John Vianney.